


Merry Christmas

by PeterStark



Series: Marked by Fate [9]
Category: Arrow (TV 2012), The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, As you wish, Christmas, Cuddling & Snuggling, F/M, Light Hurt/Comfort, Literal Sleeping Together, M/M, Shovel Talk, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, messing with the timeline
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-10
Updated: 2020-09-10
Packaged: 2021-03-06 17:41:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,280
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26392807
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PeterStark/pseuds/PeterStark
Summary: Barry can't sleep. Ollie is there for him, even if that means having to meet the family.
Relationships: Barry Allen/Oliver Queen, Eddie Thawne/Iris West, Roy Harper/Thea Queen
Series: Marked by Fate [9]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1564228
Comments: 7
Kudos: 222





	Merry Christmas

**Author's Note:**

> I'm messing with the timeline more than Barry does and that's saying something. Just roll with it.  
> I own nothing.

Barry woke up slowly. He felt warm safe. A firm arm was squeezing him. "Ollie?"

"You fell asleep on me. Literally." Oliver said, running his fingers through Barry's hair. "You okay? You scared me a little."

"Sorry. I haven't been sleeping well...what with..."

Oliver kissed his temple. "I know. That's heavy stuff."

"I can't sleep at home anymore. I don't feel safe. Nothing feels safe...except you. I guess I'm just really tired. Didn't know how tired I am." Barry buried his nose against Oliver's collar bone. The warmth and the slightly spicy scent felt like home now.

Oliver sighed. "You're always welcome here. And you can sleep. You need rest."

"Pot, kettle." Barry snorted. "But, I'm not intruding? I mean...it's nearly Christmas."

"Why would you think you were intruding?" Oliver asked.

"It just...you know, season for family and friends and stuff."

"Barry, we're soulmates, you're kind of part of the package." Oliver squeezed him again. "What about you? Don't you have the big West party with eggnog and all?"

"I feel safer here. Plus, I'd want you to come with and I'm not sure I want Joe to have a heart attack just yet, we're already trying to figure out if Wells is the one who...anyway." Barry sighed.

"Maybe I should come. Two's better than one. You know I've got your back. If you're right, which Wells has always given creeps, so I'm inclined to say you are, I could help."

"What if he comes after you?" Barry asked weakly.

"I'm inclined to believe he already knows we're soulmates. He helped you when you were in the coma, that means he saw the Mark and he knows I'm Arrow so...genius like him, I'm guessing he put two and two together. You run here all the time Barry, my guess is that I'm in as much danger anywhere, plus my enemies aren't slouches either. I'm with you, Barry."

Barry pressed closer to Oliver. "I supposed. And I can't keep my family in the dark forever. But...don't expect a super warm welcome."

"Barry," Oliver grinned, "I don't think I've ever gotten a warm welcome from a significant other's parents. So I don't expect anything less from my soulmate's family. It's fine. I like knowing you have people looking out for your best interests." Oliver said. "Get some more sleep. We can figure out plans later."

"Don't you want to be here?"

"Thea and I will do our quiet Christmas thing, probably with Roy. Felicity is Jewish. Dig has something going with Lyla. It'll be fine. Now rest. You fell asleep in the middle of giving me an analysis on how Santa couldn't possibly deliver all the presents in the world unless he was faster than you...so, I think you should sleep." Oliver said, nodding to the TV where a Christmas movie was playing quietly.

"Okay." Barry snuggled in and closed his eyes, asleep in a moment.

Oliver gently rubbed his back, then grabbed the blanket off the back of the sofa and wrapped it around Barry's shoulders. A key scraped in a lock and Oliver turned his head slightly to see Thea enter with a bag of groceries. She kicked the door shut and Oliver turned back to Barry, closing his eyes and relaxing. If he stayed relaxed, so would Barry.

Thea put the groceries down in the kitchen.

He could hear her moving around, could hear glasses being moved around. Oliver was almost drifting, comfortable holding Barry in a way that he was comfortable with no one else.

Something flashed. Oliver opened his eyes and looked up at Thea. She was holding her phone. "You're cute."

"Delete that." Oliver said gruffly. Someone could easily get ahold of Thea's phone.

"Not before I send it to you, because cute." She grinned then held up her phone as she deleted it. "Happy? Now only you've got it." She sighed and put her phone in her pocket. "You've been grumpy lately." She commented, heading to the kitchen.

"Been a rough stretch."

Thea sighed. "It is the first holidays since Mom and...well that stint you did in the hospital wasn't fun. You have to stop getting into these accidents, Ollie, you're going to age me." She laughed, coming out of the kitchen and putting two mugs on the side table. "One for you, one for Barry, though, he seems out for the count."

"Thank you, Thea." Oliver whispered.

Thea nodded and sat in the armchair, sipping her own cocoa. "I'm glad you found Barry. Even with your usual moodiness...you've been smiling more than ever. He's good for you."

"I just hope I'm good for him."

"You are. I mean look at him. Seems happy to me." She smiled. "Mind if I stick around til the end of the movie? Roy's going to pick me up later, something about ice skating."

"Of course, Speedy. You can stay."

She smiled and turned toward the TV. "I like this one."

"So does Barry."

"He has good taste." Thea said quietly.

"Hey, Speedy, would you mind if I spent Christmas with Barry?"

"Hell of a time to meet the family." She laughed. "Yeah, it's fine. We could do gifts and stuff on Christmas Eve, do all the Queen things. I can spend Christmas day with Roy. And with you across the country we can get up to all sorts of things."

"Thea, gross. Please don't." Oliver wrinkled his nose.

"Payback for all the mental scarring, Ollie." She grinned ruthlessly. "Now shush, he's about to go off about tanks and eat all the food."

Oliver shook his head and rested his chin on Barry's head. The speedster's chest rose and fell a little quicker, his head shifted. Oliver felt something off in his Mark, not quite physical pain, but something close to it. "Barry?"

"No..." Barry's breaths came faster, his head thrashing, body going tense.

"It's okay, Barr." Oliver ran a hand down his back. "Sh...it's just a nightmare. It's okay."

"Mm... Mom, no."

So it wasn't a nightmare. Oliver pulled Barry closer. "Love, wake up, you're alright. Just wake up."

Barry gasped and sat up.

"Hey, hey. Look at me."

Barry's eyes turned and met his, they were wide and full of tears. "S-sorry."

"You're okay." Oliver promised. "You want to talk about it?"

"Same old same old." Barry shrugged. "Same monster, new face."

Oliver nodded and sat up. He hugged Barry and kissed his forehead. "I've got you."

"I know." Barry said, leaning his head down onto Oliver's shoulder. He grabbed Oliver's forearm and squeezed gently. "I don't feel safe even in my own head."

"I know that feeling." Oliver sighed. "You're alright...I know it. It'll be okay."

Barry didn't move, just clung a little tighter.

"Nightmares suck, huh?" Thea whispered. "Fortunately there's hot chocolate, Tim Allen, and cuddles."

Barry lifted his head and looked at Thea who nodded to a cup of cocoa. "Thank you." He grabbed the mug and took a sip. "This is good."

"I make the best hot chocolate ever." Thea smiled.

Barry looked at the TV, leaning closer to Oliver. "Apparently cuddles and TV work well? Cuddles?"

"Yup." Oliver agreed, wrapping an arm around him. "Time for some Christmas spirit."

-

Barry sat on his sofa and looked at his watch. The last text he'd gotten from Oliver had meant that the Archer would be in Central in a few moments. Iris was sitting on Eddie's lap, drinking eggnog while talking to Caitlin animatedly. Cisco was telling stories with Joe and laughing. Barry was just trying to keep his knee from bouncing at supersonic speeds while he fiddled with his scarf.

"So, what's going on with you, Barry?" Joe asked suddenly. "Didn't you say you invited someone else?"

"I invited my soulmate." Barry nodded.

"Ooh! Finally, the wait will be over. Merry Christmas to me!" Iris cheered. "I've been dying to know."

Caitlin and Cisco shared a look. "Oh, yeah, us too." Caitlin nodded.

"I haven't even seen your Mark." Iris shrugged and nodded to her shoulder, where her Mark was. "I mean, come on. We're siblings, you're supposed to tell me this."

"And I haven't gotten a peep either." Joe frowned.

"Just...be cool you guys. It's um...complicated. But..."

"If you love this person, Barry, then we will too." Iris promised. "We're family, it's what we do. We're here for each other."

Barry heard the bike approach and sighed. He wished he could be drunk for this. "Right, I'll get the door." He walked out of the living room and down the hall. Before Oliver could knock he opened the door. "Save me."

"The literal way or the figurative way, because the bow's in the bag. Do I need it?" Oliver asked sounding half-serious.

"Figurative, but if Joe reaches for his gun, save yourself."

Oliver chuckled and pulled Barry into a kiss. "I promise I won't use my bow against him. Wouldn't be a fair fight anyway."

Barry laughed. "Stop it."

"There's that smile." Oliver said happily. "May I come in."

"Of course, you have to be cold out there." Barry said, grabbing his bag.

"I spent five years on an island, Barry. I don't get cold." It wasn't exactly true, but he really didn't feel the cold the way he used to anymore.

"I want that superpower. Me and cold, enemies." Barry whispered. "Moment of truth, you know I can still flash us away and we can watch cheesy movies in ugly sweaters."

"I don't wear ugly sweaters. Besides, you don't like keeping this a secret. So...let's not." Oliver offered his hand to Barry. The usual bracelets weren't obscuring the Mark on his wrist.

Barry took his hand and let his thumb stray, landing over the Mark. He felt Oliver's calm confidence and smiled. "Thank you."

"Mmhm." Oliver kissed behind his ear. "You've got this."

Barry nodded and led Oliver into the living room. "Hey, everyone. This is Ollie. Ollie, you've met Iris, my sister. Um Caitlin and Cisco. That's Eddie, Iris' soulmate. And that's Joe."

Joe's face was blank, but there was something burning in his eyes. He looked from Oliver to Barry then back.

"Nice to meet you, Detective West." Oliver let go of Barry and held out his hand. They'd met before of course, just...not in this capacity.

Joe stared for a moment more before he took Oliver's hand. "Queen."

"Oh my God, Barry. Seriously?" Iris asked. She got up and walked right up to Barry and slapped his arm. "A friend my ass." She huffed and then turned, hugging Oliver. "Hi, welcome to the family. Don't worry too much about Dad, he's like that with everyone who comes into the house, just ask Eddie."

"True." Eddie nodded. "Nice to meet you Mr. Queen."

"Oliver's fine." Oliver smiled and took Barry's hand again. "Nice to see you again, Cisco, Caitlin. Better circumstances this time."

"You've met them?" Iris asked.

"When I visited Barry at Star Labs." He nodded. 

"Barry, can I have your help with the turkey?"

"Yeah, sure." Barry nodded and glanced to Oliver for help.

Oliver smiled. "Good luck, hun."

"Kill me now." Barry whispered.

"Nope." He shook his head. "Go on, I've got your back." Oliver winked.

"I hate you."

"Love you too." Oliver said without missing a beat.

Barry reluctantly headed for the kitchen. Joe was leaning against the counter. The turkey was already out, resting on the counter. Joe folded his arms over his chest.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"I was struck by lightning literally hours after finding out. Then I woke up with powers and that was a lot to deal with at the moment. Then when he came over all you did was talk about how much you hated him. When in the middle of all of that was I supposed to tell you?"

"Barry..."

"And then you were freaking out about Iris and your partner, I mean seriously. What was I supposed to say?"

"The truth. You're my son and you've been running off to God knows where for months. Didn't you think I at least wanted to know where you were? Just in case something bad happened. And then I find out you're with him? He's a killer, Barry."

"He isn't." Barry fully knew Oliver had killed, he even knew Oliver would kill again under the right amount of pressure, given his fight against Ras for Thea. But Oliver wasn't a killer, not really.

"He's dangerous."

"Accurate, but I'm dangerous too."

"Barry."

Barry pulled his scarf off his neck and pulled down the collar of his shirt.

"What the hell? He did that to you?"

"Yeah. He did. He was drugged, dying. Felicity didn't have anyone else to turn to so she asked for my help. I woke up in his...hideout and he was there, dying on a table. I saved him and when he woke up he was scared, unmasked with basically a stranger hovering over him, a stranger who now knew his identity. In his mind I was a threat."

"He's a violent man, Barry."

"Think of it! What if you went through that, Joe, and a criminal followed you home from work, knew you had a daughter? How scared would you be? What would you do to protect me and Iris?"

Joe's jaw grew tense.

"He was strong enough to stop me from being a threat then and there, strong enough to snap my neck in half. But he didn't. Even scared and high and injured, cornered in his own home he didn't hurt me. If someone broke into your home, would you ask questions first or shoot first?" Barry knew the answer. Joe would kill for his family, loose sleep over it sure, but he'd kill for his family. "Look, he's dangerous, everyone knows that, but I love him, and he won't hurt me. He never would." Barry pulled his scarf back on. "Besides, I can kick his ass."

"Seriously?" Joe asked, shocked out of his anger for a moment.

Barry snorted. "Yeah, don't tell him I told you that though. Point of pride. Look, I wanted to tell you, but you hate him. I didn't want two people I love to go at each other's throats. So try, try to get to know Ollie. I'll admit, Arrow can be an ass, but Oliver is...he's amazing."

Joe bit the inside of his cheek. "Don't think I won't give him the shovel talk."

"Right..."

"But I'll...try."

"That's all I ask."

-

As soon as Barry was out of the room, Caitlin walked up. She looked at him, almost cautious.

"Hello, Caitlin."

"Hi. I was...just wondering how you were doing? I'm a doctor, I he-heard about the accident."

"She never turns the doctor part off. She will fuss over you." Cisco promised, taking up a position on an armchair. "Still, dude, are you okay? Heard it was uh, touch and go."

"For a moment." Oliver nodded. He looked up at Caitlin and smiled. "I'm fine, thanks. Stitches out and all. Back to 100%."

"You're lucky to be alive, accident like that." Caitlin whispered. "Be a bit more careful in the future, yes?"

Oliver knew she wasn't just talking about him fighting crime, but also for Barry's sake. He liked her. "I'll do my best."

"Good." She smiled faintly, awkwardly. "Well, at least no one's in a hospital bed this time around, yeah? Much better meeting. Gotta say, didn't expect you and Barry. I thought maybe Felicity but..."

"Felicity was my guess as well." Iris said. "Don't get me wrong, I'm not upset or anything. I mean...I'm Barry's sister, I knew for a long time he...well he swung both ways, so I guess I knew it was a possibility, but Felicity is adorkable, like him."

"Stay in the room with the two of them for five minutes and it devolves into something either incoherently science-y or the most awkward rambling ever." Oliver snorted. "I agree, both cute, but maybe they're too similar." The night needed the day to break up the monotony after all.

"So...why didn't you two tell anyone?" Eddie asked.

"Afraid that's my fault. My family hasn't had the best standing in the world. Between people who may lash out in revenge against my mother's involvement with the...terrorist attack and the paparazzi who love to eat anyone alive, I figured it was for the best we kept it private. Barry agreed. We'd appreciate it if it stayed between close friends and family."

"Of course." Iris nodded.

Barry stepped back into the living room, looking a little flushed. "You alright?"

"Alright, Mr. Queen, your turn." Joe said, waving Oliver toward the front door, not the kitchen.

"You heard the man, your turn." Barry teased, sitting down and lifting his mug of eggnog.

"Kill me now." Oliver whispered.

"You wish." Barry muttered back. "Good luck, hun. Go on, I've got your back." Barry shot Oliver's words back at him with sarcasm.

"Thanks." Oliver kissed his cheek and headed out, following Joe toward the front door.

Joe looked down at the bag on the floor and then turned his head a bit further to narrow his eyes at Oliver before stepping outside. "That's quite a large bag for an overnight, Mr. Queen."

Oliver wasn't going to lie to the man. "A collapsible bow only collapses so far. Plus I had to carry presents. Can do that with the usual bag."

"You brought your bow here, on Christmas?"

"Yes. I don't go most places without it and Barry's been worried about this Reverse Flash, so, yeah. Ease his mind and mine."

Joe stopped at the end of the front walkway and turned on Oliver. "I don't like the Arrow, or his twisted, dark justice, you know that right?"

"Of course I do."

"Yeah, you're not stupid, I'll give you that much. I don't like that my son is disappearing more and more in the middle of the night to sneak off to you."

"He can't sleep." Oliver whispered.

"Come again."

"He can't sleep here. I thought it was weird too. Usually we talk over the phone, text... He usually only comes over once a week or so. Then he just started showing up. He says he can't sleep, that he doesn't feel safe here. He said he's pretty sure the man in yellow is watching him."

"He hasn't told me that." Joe shook his head.

"He wouldn't want to burden you." Oliver shook his head. "So he's been running six hundred miles to get away from that feeling, so he can rest. I more than understand. But something needs to be done, because I know he doesn't feel safe here, thus the bow on Christmas, because I will protect him if I can. And bad guys don't always take holidays off."

"How bad is he?"

"A couple days ago he was in the middle of explaining how Santa would have to be a speedster before he collapsed mid-sentence and fell asleep. He's a little rough. I'm not trying to steal him away from his family, he just needs to sleep and for some unknown reason he can with me there." Oliver shrugged.

"Hm." Joe hummed. "You know, Barry gave me this huge lecture about how the Arrow and Oliver Queen were different. Told me I needed to try to be nice to Oliver Queen, but even you don't believe it do you?"

"No, I don't. Honestly, as much as you hate me, I doubt it's more than I hate myself." Oliver said as he looked out over Central City. "I'm not a good person. I've done unspeakable things. But I'm trying to do better. And there's no way I can ever deserve someone like Barry Allen, but he seems to think otherwise. I don't want to let him down. Hate me all you want, but I won't hurt him."

"Your Mark looked pretty aggressive on his neck."

"I unfortunately have to live with that. I always have to live knowing the difference between us." Oliver lifted his sleeve. "It's night and day. He was trying to save me and my first instinct was to try and stop him. I woke up and I could hear Felicity and Dig and there was this stranger there. All I knew was that it wasn't right, that my partners were exposed, in danger. He was the only thing out of place. I regret it, every day...but he is the best thing that's ever happened to me. I'll protect that."

"I don't want to see Arrow in my city. And I ever feel like my boy is in any danger around you, I will find a way to make sure you can't ever hurt him. I don't care how good you are with a bow."

As well intentioned as Joe was, Oliver knew he didn't need his bow to stop the man. "Trust me, if I ever hurt Barry, I'll be the first one in line to kick my ass."

Joe snorted. "He says Oliver's different. You better start proving it to me. And unless someone in yellow comes running into my home, I better not see any sort of weapons from you, understood."

"Yes, sir."

"Good. Time for food and presents, I imagine."

-

Oliver smiled as Barry opened his present. They'd gotten each other a few things, but he knew Barry would appreciate this one. Barry pulled the soft fabric from the box and his eyes went wide. The scarf had the entirety of The Princess Bride written out on it in small print. Every time 'as you wish' was written on it, it was written in bold letters.

"Oh my God, this is amazing. Welcome to the rest of the universe, Ollie." Barry grinned and hugged him. "I told you you were missing out."

"I admit, it's a good movie." Oliver conceded, then helped Barry put the scarf on without revealing his Mark to anyone else. "Alright?"

"My God, it's so soft. How in the hell is it so soft?"

"I'm brilliant." Oliver rolled his eyes. No, he just refused to get anything less than perfect for Barry.

"Okay, that means you get this one next." Barry tossed him a small box. "Great minds and all that."

Oliver opened the box and found a black band. The fabric wasn't unlike the one in his mask. A small watch face was pressed into the wide band, but it was flat, not likely to catch or scrape on anything.

"Check the card." Barry urged quietly.

Aside from being wide enough to cover his Mark and slim enough to not inhibit any movements, the small card inside revealed there was a panic button on it. Just in case he ever needed the speedster. "Barr..."

"Just a little something after that last hiccup."

Oliver snorted and slid it on before turning and kissing Barry. "Thank you."

"We're a team. I'll race over any time you need me."

"Same...except a little slower." Oliver chuckled and kissed Barry's neck. "Thank you. I love you."

"I know." Barry grinned.

"You're ridiculous." Oliver rolled his eyes and leaned away.

"True." Barry nodded before sliding closer and leaning against Oliver's side.

Oliver wrapped an arm around him and kissed the top of his head as the others finished opening presents, laughing and joking. After a couple minutes, Oliver felt Barry's weight drop more onto him. He smiled and looked down at the sleeping speedster's face. "I've got you, Barr. Merry Christmas." He whispered into his hair. "Rest."

Barry didn't react in any way other than curling the slightest bit closer to Oliver.

"You two are just so cute. You look at him like he hung the stars in the sky." Iris cooed.

"He's the sun and all the stars in my sky." Oliver said, the truth spilling out before he could stop it. But it was true. Barry was the light of his life.

"So cute." Iris beamed.

Oliver rested his head against Barry's but didn't dare go to sleep. Someone had to stay up to watch the speedster's back, just in case. He stayed absolutely still as the others started up Christmas movies to binge together. Cisco and Caitlin headed out together. Iris and Eddie got up shortly after, saying loving goodbyes to Joe.

Oliver knew Barry's neck would be sore if the speedster slept much longer like that. He gently kissed his forehead. "Hey, I need you to get up for a moment."

"No." Barry's hand fisted Oliver's shirt.

Oliver laughed. "I will carry you up the stairs bridal style in front of everyone. Don't think I won't." It was an idle threat, only Joe remained and he was watching from the armchair.

"Rude. I wanna sleep."

"As you wish." Oliver snorted and gathered up the lanky speedster in his arms. He picked him up like he was nothing and carried him up the stairs. By process of elimination, Oliver found Barry's room and put him down in the bed, removing his shoes, socks, jeans, and scarf.

Barry reached out to him, sleepily, hands grasping at nothing.

"Just a moment, Barr." Oliver promised. He rushed down the stairs to grab his bag and he went upstairs. Barry's eyes were open, as if he were wide awake, alert. "You can go to sleep."

"You weren't here. S'not safe."

Oliver frowned but walked forward. He quickly undressed down to his boxers and pulled Barry close to him, covering them both up with blankets. "You can sleep now. You're safe. I'm watching out for you."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

"Mm." Barry snuggled against his chest. "Merry Christmas, Ollie."

"Merry Christmas, Barr."

**Author's Note:**

> Take care.


End file.
